Flexible grid and leverage ice release



1944- L. 1.. MALLARD FLEXIBLE GRID AND LEVERAGE ICE RELEASE Filed Dec. 4, 1941 gwumn/fm Loan/v LaMfiLLnew Patented Oct. 10, 1944 FLEXIBLE GRID AND LEVERAGE ICE RELEASE Logan L. Mallard, Norfolk, Va.

Application December 4, 1941, Serial No. 421,649

Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration, and particularly to ice cube trays and coacting grids used for freezing ice in domestic refrigerators.

An object of the invention is to provide an ice cube tray having a flexible grid for dividing the tray into a plurality of cube compartments, and means coacting with said grid for effecting release of the cubes with .aminimum of manual effort and in a manner such as to avoid handling of the cubes.

More specifically, the invention contemplates ice forming apparatus including a tray and a grid for said tray embodying a series of transverse partitions and a longitudinal partition or rib constructed to permit bowing or flexing of the grid, and lever mechanism pivotally connected to said grid and'having a compound leverage action rendering it remarkably easy to bow or flex the grid. The improved grid and coacting leverage mechanism also has an ejecting action on the cubes so as to cause the latter to be discharged downwardly into the tray during the process of removing the grid from the tray.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following dcscription taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of an ice tray and coacting grid constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the grid in cube-releasing and ejecting position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary view in side elevation of a modified type of grid structure;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 4; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the grid of Fig. 4 but showing the latter in its open position.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and comprises a tray I!) having a removable grid H therein, the grid II comprising a longitudinal central partition 9 and transverse partitions I2, preferably of molded rubber or other suitable flexible plastic. Embedded in or attached to the central partition 9 are end supports l3 and center support M, preferably in the form of plates made of metal or other rigid sheet material. The central partition 9 should have suiiicient flexibility to be longitudinally bowable edgewise in a vertical plane when in its upright operating position, but the transverse partitions may be of either flexible or rigid material.

Projecting upwardly from the end plate members l3 are pivot lugs or bearings l5 and i6, and an additional pivot bearing 11 is positioned in the center plate M in the median portion of the central partition 9 somewhat below the upper edge thereof. A relatively short link member 20 has lower end pivotally connected to the pivot bearing I! and is preferably of a length such that its upper end projects somewhat above the upper edge of the partition 9, at which point it is pivotally connected by pivot pin l8 to the inner or operating end of a hand lever 2|. Also connecting the pivot pin l8 and the pivot I6 is a link bar 22, and likewise pivotally connected to the pivot pin I8 is an equalizing bar 24 adapted to extend along the upper edge of the partition 9 and slidably engage the upper edge of said partition 9 by means of lateral projections or lugs 25. The hand lever 21 is provided with pivot pin l9 preferably spaced from the pivot IS a distance substantially equal to the distance between the pivots I1 and I8 and a link bar 23 is pivotally connected at its inner end to pin 19 and at its outer end to pivot bearing l5.

In operation, the grid H is inserted in the tray I0 in the usual manner as shown in Fig. 1, the compartments are filled with water and the tray is inserted in the freezing unit until ice has formed in cubes or blocks around the grid. When it is desired to use the cubes the tray is removed from the freezing unit and the lever 2! moved upwardly in an arc toward the opposite end of the grid. As the movement progresses, the link bar or lever acts through the pivots l5, l9 and 18 to elevate the one end of the grid H and the link arm 22 acts through the pivots i6, i8 and H to elevate the opposite end of the grid, thus bowing the grid downwardly and ejecting the molded ice cubes into the tray.

If it is desired to release the ice cubes from one end only of the grid, the operation is as follows:

Holding the one end of the grid, for example the left-hand end as viewed in the drawing against a table or other support with one hand, the lever 21 is moved through its arc. During this motion the pivot points of the pin i9 remain substantially inactive while the lever 2| is moved through the initial portion of its arc. This causes the link 20 to rotate toward the arm 23 and act through the link arm 22 to elevate the opposite end of the grid.

By holding the other end of the grid with the hand while the lever is moved, an opposite action may be obtained. In this instance, the pivot points ll, i8 and it remain relatively stationary and the arm 23 actuated by the lever 2| elevates the other end of the grid.

During these three methods of operation, the projections 25 on the equalizing bar 24 engage the top edge of the rib when the lever 22 is passing through the latter portion of its arc of operation and act to equalize the bowing action on the grid. This action also aids in effecting the release of cubes from one end of the grid at a time. However, the ejection of the cubes from the entire grid may be obtained without the aid of this equalizing bar.

A modification of the partition structure is shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive wherein the center partition 29 is provided with a series of upwardly converging corrugations 21 spaced to converge at points 28, which are preferably positioned at equal distances between the transverse partitions I2. As the partition 9 is bowed the corrugations 21 expand or unfold, and this also acts to break the bond between the ice cubes and the grid and to force the ice cubes downwardly along the conical surfaces developed by the corrugations.

The improved grid and coacting flexing mechanism as herein disclosed may be operated with one easy movement of the hand, the ease of operation resulting primarily from the compound leverage action obtained by the arrangement of the pivot links 20, 22, 23 and 2|. This arrange ment provides what is in effect a toggle action and has the inherent advantages of toggle linkage mechanism. It will also be noted that the ice cubes may be ejected from the grid compartments in contradistlnction to a gravity action.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and drawing are not to be construed as limitations but as illustrative of preferred embodiments of the invention, the scope of the latter being defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a freezing tray for containinga substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, a grid structure, means rendering said grid structure bowable or bendable to release frozen substance therefrom, and means for bowing the grid comprising linkage mechanism pivotally connected at opposite extremities and at an intermediate point to said grid and an operating member pivotally connecting said linkage mechanism, said operating member being rotatable about its pivotal connection to cause the linkage mechanism to exert a pull on opposite extremities of the grid and simultaneously exert a bowing thrust on the grid.

2. The combination with a tray for containing asubstance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, of -a removable grid for said tray including longitudinal and transverse partitions, means rendering said longitudinal partition flexible .permitting the grid structure to be bowed to release frozen substance therefrom, and means for bowing said grid comprising links pivotally connected to opposite extremities of said longitudinal partition and an operating member pivotally connected to said links and also to said longitudinal partition at a point intermediate of the grid, said operating member being rotatable about its pivotal connections to exert a pull through said links on opposite extremities of said longitudinal partition and simultaneously exert a bowing thrust on the latter.

3. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray comprising a plurality of transverse partitions and a longitudinal partition di viding the said tray into a plurality of grid compartments, means rendering said grid flexible or bowable, and means for flexing said grid to release cubes from said compartments comprising links pivoted at their outer ends to the opposite ends of said longitudinal partition and a hand lever pivoted at its operating end to the inner ends of said links, and means pivotally anchoring said links and the operating end of said lever to the longitudinal partition.

4. The combination with 'a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray including a main partition and a series of auxiliary partitions projecting laterally from said main partition, means rendering said main partition bowable to effect release of ice cubes from the grid, means for bowing said grid comprising a pair of links pivotally connected at opposite ends respectively to the opposite ends of said main partition and an operating lever pivotally connected at its operating end to the inner ends of said links, means pivotally anchoring the inner ends of said links and operating member to the intermediate portion of said main partition, said lever being rotatable about its pivot point to draw said links toward one another and simultaneously exert a pull on opposite ends of said main partition and also exert a bowing thrust on the intermediate portion of the latter.

5. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray comprising a main partition and a plurality of auxiliary partitions projecting laterally from said main partition, means rendering said main partition bowable to release ice cubes therefrom, means for bowing said grid comprising a pair of links pivotally connected at opposite ends respectively to the opposite ends of said main partition and an operating member having said links pivotally connected at spaced points to the operating end thereof, means also pivotally and movably anchoring said lever and links to the main partition, said lever being rotatable about its pivotal connection to simultaneously draw said links towards one another and exert a bowing thrust on said main partition. 7

6. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the 1 freezing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray comprising a main partition and a plurality of auxiliarypartitions projecting laterally therefrom, means rendering said grid structure bowable to release ice cubes therefrom and means for bowing said grid comprising a pair of links pivotally connected at opposite ends to the opposite ends of said main partition and a hand lever pivotally connected at spaced points to the inner ends of said links, another link pivotally and movably anchoring the inner ends of said links and the operating end of said hand lever to said main partition, whereby when said hand lever is rotated about its pivotal connection it simultaneously exerts a compound leverage action on said links to draw the latter towards one another and exert a bowing thrust on said main partition.

'7. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freeaing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray comprising a longitudinal partition and a series of lateral partitions, means rendering sa d longitudinal partition bowable to release ice cubes from said grid, and means for bowing said longitudinal partition including a pair of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to the opposite ends of said main partition and an operating lever pivotally connected at spaced points to the inner ends of said links, means pivotally and movably anchoring the inner ends of said links and the operating end of said lever to said main partition and whereby when the operating lever is rotated about its pivotal connections with said links it simultaneously draws the latter toward one another arid exerts a. bowing thrust on said main partition, and means for equalizing the bowing thrust with respect to said grid.

8. The combination with a tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, of a removable grid for said tray comprising a longitudinal partition and a series of lateral partitions, means rendering said longitudinal partition bowable to release ice cubes from said grid, and means for bowing said grid including a pair of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to the opposite ends of said main partition and an operating lever pivotally connected at spaced points to the inner ends of said links, means pivotally and movably anchoring the inner ends of said links and the operating end of said lever to said main partition and whereby when the operating lever is rotated about its pivotal connections with said links it simultaneously draws the latter toward one another and exerts a bowing thrust on said main partition, and an equalizing bar pivotally associated with the operating end of said lever and extending along the intermediate portion of said grid and adapted to bear on said portion and equalize the bowing thrust on the grid.

9. In combination with a freezing tray .for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, a grid structure including a main partition and a series of auxiliary partitions projecting laterally from said main partition, said main partition being formed with a series of fan-shaped corrugations therealong tapering upwardly from the lower edge to the upper edge thereof to facilitate downward bowing of the main partition, and means for exerting a bowing force on said main partition.

10. In combination with a freezing tray for containing a substance to be congealed or frozen in the freezing unit of a refrigerator, a grid structure including a main partition and a series of auxiliary partitions projecting laterally from the main partition, said main partition being formed with a series of corrugations between said lateral partitions to render the grid bowable or bendable in a downward direction, said corrugations ex- 

